Minnesota State Standards

  • 0

Minnesota Holocaust & Genocide Education Summary

Legal Status

  • Mandated by law: Yes
  • Required starting in the 2025–26 school year under Minnesota legislation (HF 2685 / SF 2442) [oai_citation:0‡senate.mn](https://www.senate.mn/committees/2023-2024/3120_Committee_on_Education_Policy/Holocaust-Genocide%20Education%20Bill%203-2-23.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  • Mandates education on the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples, and other genocides for middle and high school students
  • Establishes a working group to develop curriculum resources and implement professional development grants

How the Holocaust Appears in Minnesota’s Standards

Middle & High School (Grades 6–12)

  • Students must study the Holocaust, genocide of Indigenous Peoples (e.g., Dakota, Ojibwe, Ho-Chunk), and other genocides (e.g., Armenia, Rwanda)
  • Instruction must analyze connections between World War II, nationalism, fascism, antisemitism, and mass violence

Supplemental Teaching Tools Encouraged

Educators are supported with resources like:

  • Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies (University of MN) materials, including podcasts and professional learning sessions
  • Echoes & Reflections curriculum
  • U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum resources
  • Survivor testimony and primary source documents

Teaching Notes for Minnesota Educators

AreaGuidance
Mandated by LawYes – HF 2685/SF 2442, effective 2025–26
Included in CurriculumYes – Grades 6–12
Grade LevelsMiddle & High School (Grades 6–12)
Instructional FlexibilityMedium – state sets topics; local curricula developed by working group
Professional DevelopmentGrants and materials via working group and University of Minnesota

Conclusion

Beginning with the 2025–26 school year, Minnesota law requires genocide education—including the Holocaust, Indigenous genocides, and other mass atrocities—for students in grades 6–12. The law establishes a working group and funding to guide curriculum creation and teacher training. This ensures thoughtful, well-supported instruction grounded in historical context, civic responsibility, and the analysis of multiple genocides and perspectives.

Select a State below, to check the Holocaust educational standards:

Leslie Benitah is a journalist, filmmaker, and third-generation Holocaust survivor dedicated to preserving memory and com- bating historical denial through storytelling. Holding a PhD in Journalism from the Sorbonne, she began her career as a journalist, later becoming editor-in-chief, and eventually serving as Executive Producer for TF1, France’s leading network, where she helped shape primetime content for millions of viewers.

After moving to Miami in 2006, she ran a major French- language publication before returning to film, directing critically acclaimed documentaries and collaborating with top production companies for over 20 years.

Driven by activism and education, Leslie co-founded The Last Ones—a groundbreaking documentary series that has amassed millions of views across social media and is used as an official educational tool in schools worldwide. Featuring over 150 survivor testimonies filmed across multiple continents, The Last Ones bridges past and present, ensuring younger generations remain engaged with Holocaust history. Leslie frequently speaks in schools, advocating for education as the most powerful tool against misinformation and hate.